Rēwena bread (parāoa rēwena)
A Māori bread from New Zealand made with a fermented potato, flour, and sugar starter. This recipe makes two small loaves and takes several days for the starter to become bubbly.
Rēwena is a bread associated with Māori cuisine in New Zealand. Its starter, known as a bug, is made with cooked potato and fed over several days; it is then mixed with flour, water, and sugar to shape and bake the bread. This version follows the documented method for two small loaves, without commercial yeast or baking soda.
Ingredient allergens
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Method
- 01
Cook the potato
Wash the potato, cut it into pieces, and boil it in water until soft. Drain it, save enough cooking water to measure 2¼ cups, and mash the potato.
Ready to continue when: The potato mashes easily, and enough cooking water is saved for the feedings.
- 02
Start the bug
Once the mashed potato and cooking water are warm, mix 2 heaped tablespoons of potato, 1 cup flour, 2 teaspoons sugar, and ¾ cup cooking water. Cover the container loosely and leave it in a warm place for 24 hours.
Ready to continue when: The mixture is uniform; after 24 hours, check whether bubbles are beginning to form.
1440 min - 03
Feed the starter: day 1
Add ½ cup flour, 2 teaspoons sugar, and ¾ cup warm water. Stir until combined and cover loosely again.
Ready to continue when: No dry streaks of flour remain, and the container is loosely covered again.
- 04
Feed the starter: day 2
Add 1 cup flour, 2 teaspoons sugar, and ¾ cup potato cooking water. Stir until combined and cover loosely again.
Ready to continue when: The mixture is uniform, with no visible dry flour.
- 05
Feed the starter: day 3
Add ½ cup flour, 2 teaspoons sugar, and ¾ cup warm water. Stir until combined and cover loosely again.
Ready to continue when: The mixture is uniform, with no visible dry flour.
- 06
Feed the starter: day 4
Add 1 cup flour, 2 teaspoons sugar, and ¾ cup potato cooking water. Stir until combined and cover loosely again.
Ready to continue when: The mixture is uniform, with no visible dry flour.
- 07
Check the starter and shape the dough
On day five, check whether the starter has bubbles. If it does not, give it one more feeding of ½ cup flour, 2 teaspoons sugar, and ¾ cup warm water; wait one day and check again. Once bubbly, mix 2 cups starter with 4 cups flour, 4 tablespoons sugar, and 2 cups warm water. Knead on a surface dusted with some of the measured flour for at least 10 minutes. Divide the dough into two small loaves and return a small piece of dough to the starter you are keeping.
Ready to continue when: The starter shows bubbles; the dough is kneaded and divided into two loaves.
10 min - 08
Proof and bake
Place the loaves on a greased tray, cover them, and leave them in a warm place until doubled in size; about 2 hours is a guide, though it may take longer in cool weather. Preheat the oven to 180 °C fan and bake for 30 minutes.
Temperature: 180 °C / 356 °FReady to continue when: The loaves have doubled in size before baking and have baked for 30 minutes.
150 min
Ingredients
Sources and review
Content researched, cross-checked and automatically validated. Sources consulted:
- Por qué el Sáhara Occidental es una pieza clave para la seguridad alimentaria mundial doi.org/10.64628/aao.swhdr6qsf
- Rēwena Bread breadclub20.blogspot.com/2025/12/rewena-bread.html
- How to make Rēwena Bread - Food Secure North Canterbury foodsecurenc.org.nz/how-to-make-rewena-bread/
- Rēwena Bug Starter Māori Bread Recipe | Dishes with Del www.disheswithdel.com/blog/r%C4%93wena-bug-potato-starter-traditional-maori-bread
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- Cómo conservar el pan y qué hacer si se queda duro | Opcions opcions.org/es/como-conservar-el-pan/
- Conoce los trucos para una buena conservación del pan abmauri.es/blog/trucos-conservacion-del-pan/
- Pan maorí - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_maor%C3%AD
- La revolución del pan. Una tradición que vuelve al origen. guide.michelin.com/es/es/articulo/features/la-revolucion-del-pan-una-tradicion-que-vuelve-al…
- Gastronomía de Nueva Zelanda para Niños ninos.kiddle.co/Gastronom%C3%ADa_de_Nueva_Zelanda
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- El pan que nos une | Meer www.meer.com/es/33916-el-pan-que-nos-une
State: Published after documentary validation; no “Tested” label is shown.